Hello Neighbor: Hidden Shadows: Unofficial AFK Book

CHAPTER 1

   I'm pretty sure my parents would have moved by now. After I've been gone for so long, I'd doubt that they'd even remember me. I turn behind me, seeing the final threatening look of Mr. Peterson, staring straight into my soul, then closing the massive gate in front of him.

I turn back to my door. Should I open it? I might want to try anyway I guess. Surprisingly, it opens, and I'm met with two figures that stand amongst the kitchen. Two figures that abandon me.

"Nicholas," Mom breathes, rushing towards me and pulling me close to her as if I would disappear (again). The other figure behind Mom hesitates, but then he rushes to me as well, yanking me from Mom's arms. I'm not sure if I should let go, or if I want to.

"Why are you-

"We'll talk about that later. Do you want to tell us where you've been for two months?" Mom cuts me off in a risen tone. Two months? I've been gone for two months already?

"We were worried sick!" she continues. I still hesitate to answer. Why are they acting like this? Why are they pretending like they care all of a sudden?

"Do you believe me now?" I ask blandly. Mom and Dad just stare at me in confusion. "You know he did kidnap me, right?"

I start balling my fists, despite the fact that one of them is bandaged. They have to believe me now. After all they did to me.

"What are you talking about?" Dad snaps.

"Why would you care? You're the ones who did this to me," I say, not shielding the hurt and anger from my voice, staring them right into their eyes. I don't bother letting my tears storm down my face.

"Mr. Peterson did it. You wouldn't believe me anyway. You never did," I conclude. Mom and Dad look above my head, supposedly staring across the street.

"Jay, get the police on the phone, now," Mom says to Dad.

"Lu, I don't think-

"NOW Jay!" Mom shouts, driving Dad away to the phone. I realize how close I've gotten to the door, meaning that I had been drawing further and further away from the house.

Like there's something telling me to go back.

"Is this some sort of joke or something?" I ask. "Why are you all acting like this What's going on?"

"Nicky, please," Mom pleads, grabbing my shoulders. "You don't know what it was like when we discovered that you were gone. Please don't put us through that again."

"So it's okay for me to suffer, but not for you?" I mumble. "If you would've listened, none of this would've happened.

"We know Nicky. And we're sorry. All we've felt is guilt for pushing you away like that. I'm not letting you out of my sight again. Do you hear me?" Mom says. I don't know if I want to believe that, but judging on her face, she looks sorry enough. I only look at the floor, really because I don't feel like talking right now. I suddenly lose balance of my legs, just in time to plant my hand against the wall in pain of my bruised knee.

"What happened to your-

"Nothing," I interrupt, still somewhat holding my tone from earlier. Mom manages to drag me to the couch, where I let myself sink further and further between the cochins. I don't try to make an effort to pull myself out of it.

   Mom rushes to the kitchen, assuming that she is getting some sort of aid for my bloody cuts. I look over to Dad, who is screaming over the phone at the police. I don't think the police will do anything about it though, as they barely did anything to fix what happened last time.

   I guess they do kind of care. I guess. But my so called 'friends' are some that I'll never speak to again. I hardly believe that they even care what I've been through. If they remember me.

   Dad hangs up the phone. "Lu, they're on their way." My dad then dials another number, in which the phone is answered almost immediately. 

   "Hey, uh.. Miguel? My son is back. Get over here. Bring the kids." Mr. Esposito chatters something I can't make out over the phone. 

   "Okay," Dad says. He hangs up the phone. He looks back over to me. He sits down next to me and holds my head to his shoulder, stroking my hair.

   "Do you believe me now? Everything?" I ask.

   "I do," he exhales.

   "Do you?"

   "Yes, Narf. I've always believed in you."

   That's not really answering the question. He says he believes in me, but I want to know if he really 'believes' me.

   "So you know I didn't tear down the posters? You know that I didn't put all of that stuff under my bed?"

   He pauses for a few seconds. Maybe he was lying this entire time. "Well, they did search his house, but they didn't find anything. Except for your hat."

   That's a lie. That's the biggest lie I've ever heard. "That's not true. They're lying, Dad."

   "Narf I-"

   "No! He's trying to cover it up. I know he is. I've seen the inside of his house. Everything Dad!" I plead.

   "Nicholas," he says in a more serious tone. I stop, relaxing my face a little more. I look down at the cushion of the couch. "You're not listening. None of you are," I say.

   "I'm listening."

   I glare at dad, trying to test him to see if he really is. I don't even bother trying to tell him, or anyone anymore. "You were right. I should've just given up," I say in a softer tone. Dad now looks like he actually cares now.

   "Narf look at me."

   I'm not sure if I want to. I'm still hurting on what happened before I got trapped. Or if he's still angry with me. But I do it anyway.

   "That's all in the past now, Narf. We're sorry for what we put you through, okay?" he says. This time he sounds more convincing. I observe the dark circles under his eyes, implying that he hasn't slept, maybe at all since I've been missing. He genuinely looks worried. Maybe he did actually care this whole time. He then puts his arms around me again, pulling me even closer then before. And he starts... crying?

   I've never seen my dad cry. I'm starting to think that he isn't acting anymore. "I'm such a bad father," he cries. My feeling start becoming dull. 

   "You're not a bad father. You aren't," I say, voice voice being half audible from my cheek being crushed into Dad's shoulder. I feel the urge to hug him back. I do.

   "I promise. I won't let anything happen to you. Ever," he continues. I'm starting to rethink my choices now. I don't regret running away, at all. But, I'm starting to realize what I put my parents through. What I put my dad through. I close my eyes, trying to forget everything that happened before now.